The BBC has teamed up with Wallace & Gromit producer Aardman to create an animated title sequence for its Match of the Day Euro 2008 football coverage.

Aardman's title sequence, which will run around Match of the Day's Euro 2008 coverage, features animated versions of footballers including Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Ballack, William Gallas and Fernando Torres.

The animation also includes former Holland player and present manager Marco van Basten and Italian former Rangers midfielder Gennaro Gattuso.

It opens in an Austrian opera house and goes on to feature the eight cities that will host matches across Switzerland and Austria from the start of the tournament on Saturday, June 7, as backdrops to the animated players.

Unkle's version of Austrian-born composer Mozart's symphony number 41 accompanies the title sequence.

The sequence forms part of the BBC strategy of promoting Euro 2008 by focusing on players from the English Premier League and encouraging viewers to support a foreign team after England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland failed to qualify.

"We wanted the title sequence to reflect just how much footballing talent viewers can expect to see at the Euros," said Phil Bigwood, an executive producer at the BBC.

"There will be nearly 50 players at this year's tournament who play regularly in the Premier League ... meaning a lot of familiar faces to make the games more appealing."

The title sequence animation was produced by the BBC's Sunil Patel and animation group Busty Kelp working with Aardman.